No open practice today but the media did get to speak to several players, including Dillon Gabriel, Rondell Bothroyd, Drake Stoops, Woodi Washington and Daeh McCullough.
Here were a few of the things that stood out the most during the media session:
1. Bothroyd moving around the D-line?
Since arriving in the spring, the sixth-year senior's reps have come almost exclusively at defensive end.
It makes sense. While Bothroyd did show some versatility at different spots during his time at Wake Forest, he mostly played D-end. Last season, 71% of his snaps came at defensive end, per Pro Football Focus.
However, not only did Bothroyd hint that there could be times where he plays more inside, he suggested he'd prefer that.
"If we have a package where I go inside, I'd love to go inside," Bothroyd said. "If we have a game where I go inside, I'd play inside all day. But right now I'm outside, just trying to work on getting the best outside so I can go inside. But we have enough depth that we can literally just rotate.
"It's always a possibility (to play inside). Right now, it's not really a thing. But it could be at one point because I've played there before. So I know how the game goes. But right now, I'm just focusing up."
I personally expect Bothroyd to be one of the starting defensive ends when Week 1 hits. But, considering the team also has options like Ethan Downs, R Mason Thomas, PJ Adebowore and Trace Ford, moving Bothroyd inside on certain packages could be a way for the coaching staff to get everybody on the field.
2. The Nic Anderson train is on the tracks
Everybody knows Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops will be atop the wide receiver depth chart. But two questions remain — who gets the third starting spot, and who will see the most reps?
During the open portion of Monday's practice, there were four players in the first group during drills — Farooq, Stoops, Gavin Freeman and... Anderson.
Now, Anderson did miss most of last season. But the 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman brings much-needed size and athleticism.
He's got the Stoops stamp of approval, too.
"Nic's a baller," Stoops told me. "He's an explosive player. In and out of his breaks, he's great. Off the ball, he's so explosive. He gets up to top speed real fast. He's got great hands, great route running ability, and he's big, physical and strong.I'm really excited for him. I know he's gonna burst onto the scene for him. It's his time and he's definitely prepared."
(I'll have more on Anderson later this week).
3. Washington embracing competition in the secondary
"Competitive depth" continues to be the phrase of fall camp for both players and coaches.
Sometimes it feels rehearsed. Other times, it feels real. And it seems Washington truly believes that young players like Gentry Williams, Jasiah Wagoner and Kani Walker are going to see the field in 2023.
"We've got a lot of depth," Washington said. "It’s competitive depth. It could be a game where you don’t know who starts on the other side of you or starts beside you... It’s really competitive. That’s a great thing because it forces guys that don’t normally get to play, they get to come into the game and play and take as many reps as they can. And the guys that do play a lot of minutes, they can kind of get a breather when they’re out there.
"Guys are out here competing... Jasiah, Makari and Gentry, Kani, all those guys are competing, trying to get a spot as well as the D-line and linebackers. So, everybody’s just been competitive by nature out here.”
Here were a few of the things that stood out the most during the media session:
1. Bothroyd moving around the D-line?
Since arriving in the spring, the sixth-year senior's reps have come almost exclusively at defensive end.
It makes sense. While Bothroyd did show some versatility at different spots during his time at Wake Forest, he mostly played D-end. Last season, 71% of his snaps came at defensive end, per Pro Football Focus.
However, not only did Bothroyd hint that there could be times where he plays more inside, he suggested he'd prefer that.
"If we have a package where I go inside, I'd love to go inside," Bothroyd said. "If we have a game where I go inside, I'd play inside all day. But right now I'm outside, just trying to work on getting the best outside so I can go inside. But we have enough depth that we can literally just rotate.
"It's always a possibility (to play inside). Right now, it's not really a thing. But it could be at one point because I've played there before. So I know how the game goes. But right now, I'm just focusing up."
I personally expect Bothroyd to be one of the starting defensive ends when Week 1 hits. But, considering the team also has options like Ethan Downs, R Mason Thomas, PJ Adebowore and Trace Ford, moving Bothroyd inside on certain packages could be a way for the coaching staff to get everybody on the field.
2. The Nic Anderson train is on the tracks
Everybody knows Jalil Farooq and Drake Stoops will be atop the wide receiver depth chart. But two questions remain — who gets the third starting spot, and who will see the most reps?
During the open portion of Monday's practice, there were four players in the first group during drills — Farooq, Stoops, Gavin Freeman and... Anderson.
Now, Anderson did miss most of last season. But the 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman brings much-needed size and athleticism.
He's got the Stoops stamp of approval, too.
"Nic's a baller," Stoops told me. "He's an explosive player. In and out of his breaks, he's great. Off the ball, he's so explosive. He gets up to top speed real fast. He's got great hands, great route running ability, and he's big, physical and strong.I'm really excited for him. I know he's gonna burst onto the scene for him. It's his time and he's definitely prepared."
(I'll have more on Anderson later this week).
3. Washington embracing competition in the secondary
"Competitive depth" continues to be the phrase of fall camp for both players and coaches.
Sometimes it feels rehearsed. Other times, it feels real. And it seems Washington truly believes that young players like Gentry Williams, Jasiah Wagoner and Kani Walker are going to see the field in 2023.
"We've got a lot of depth," Washington said. "It’s competitive depth. It could be a game where you don’t know who starts on the other side of you or starts beside you... It’s really competitive. That’s a great thing because it forces guys that don’t normally get to play, they get to come into the game and play and take as many reps as they can. And the guys that do play a lot of minutes, they can kind of get a breather when they’re out there.
"Guys are out here competing... Jasiah, Makari and Gentry, Kani, all those guys are competing, trying to get a spot as well as the D-line and linebackers. So, everybody’s just been competitive by nature out here.”
